Snape's Fall Into Love
by Snape's lady
Summary: Snape is unhappy and greasy and unliked - but what if he found someone that he could care for and could care for him bacK? OotP spoilers in it later...


:+: Snape's Fall Into Love :+:  
  
A.N.: I wrote this story a long time ago - then I, stupid me, I took it off the site. Well, that was about a year ago, and now, I have such great ideas on how to fix it! I'm excited! I bet you're not as excited as I am, but that's okay. Lol - so here it goes. Snape's Fall Into Love. Enjoy!  
  
For the record - I don't own ANY of the charaters that will appear in this story except Professor Tessandra O'Neil. She is entirely me - I mean, mine... I love J.K. and hope that she doesn't sue me - but I made it clear that I didn't own them, so I hope that she doesnt... anyways, happy reading!  
  
Chapter 1 : The Arrival of the Rival  
  
The start of term feast was comencing in the Great Hall as the rain and thunder raged outside. The sorting had already taken place, and everyone was eating happily and chatting about the up and coming year, and also of such things like the Dark Lord appearing in the Ministry at the end of last year. All of the students felt very safe being in the care of Albus Dumbledore. Not only were the students chatting, but so were the teachers - however they were talking in hushed voices about the new safety measures that they were taking this year. All the teachers, that is, except Severus Snape.   
  
Severus Snape sat in brooding silence at the end of the table. How could this happen? He didn't recieve the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher again! Did Dumbledore not think him competent in the area? Surely Dumbledore knew of his expreience in that area, and his vast knowledge as well. "He must have his reasons," Snape thought bitterly. "Whatever they might be."   
  
He looked up and down the table, and saw to his surprise an empty chair next to him being the very end of the table. Hadn't the new teacher come yet? With a laugh to himself, he thought, "How responsible this new teacher is already...." He then began to eat and look over the new comers in the rows of tables before him. "Which ones could I torment this year?"   
  
Then, to the surprise of all the people in the Great Hall, the great doors to the hall burst open, revealing a cloaked figure carrying a broomstick and a carpet bag. The person was masked by a hood that fell over their face.   
  
The Hall became very quiet. Every pair of eyes, were on the figure. A couple of the teachers were drawing their wands from their robes as they kept a steady eye on the tardy guest.  
  
"Professor O'Neil!" Dumbledore's voice rang through the silent Hall. "Thank you for joining us. I'm thrilled that you made it in such bad weather."  
  
The figure, put the broomstick and carpet bag in one hand, and pulled back their hood with their newly freed hand. The hood was lifted to reveal a stunningly attractive redhead with bright forest green eyes. Her face had the light flush of a person who had been running. Her pleasant eyes glanced along the whole interior of the Great Hall, smiling sweetly to all the students that were looking at her. Then, her eyes, made their way to the head table, and they wandered down the row of faces. She spoke as she looked from face to face. "Thank you Professor. I'm so sorry that I'm late, but I never ended up making it back from Atlantis until it was too late. I tried to get on the train at King's Cross, but the moment I got there, the train pulled out of the station. Luckily I had my broom with me, however. Again, I appologise for the my tardy arrival."  
  
Her voice was like water running across stones in a shallow river. It was almost musical. Snape unshamefully stared at her, transfixed by her looks. She looked, to him, like ... no, no - it wasn't possible. She died sixteen years ago, but his love for her was unfaltering. As was his hate. As these thoughts went flying through his mind he stared at her. She had just stopped speaking, and her eyes came to rest on Snape's cold dark eyes. He started. She was looking at him with out disgust, with out fear, with out loathing. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like that. A very long time. He stared back, with a look of hatred, covering his interest.  
  
"Well, Professor O'Neil, you are excused," Dumbledore said, a smile on his old bearded face. "Please have a seat next to Professor Snape, our potions teacher," Dumbledore said, gesturing to his left. "Argus, will you be so kind as to take Professor O'Neil's things to her office for her?"   
  
"Yes, sir," Argus Filtch replied with a grunt as he left the head table, and went down the rows of students to take the carpet bag and broom from Professor O'Neil.  
  
"Students," Dumbledore addressed the Hall, after O'Neil had sat down at the end of the table. "I'm am pleased to introduce the newest member of our staff here at Hogwarts. Professor Tessandra O'Neil. She will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, and hopefully will stay in employment more than one term." He smiled at the sea of students infront of him. "Please welcome Professor O'Neil."   
  
There was a small burst of applause from the four tables of students, and a few whispers of uncertianty floated through the Great Hall as the meal resumed.  
  
She sat there, next to Snape silently. Snape, feeling the littlest twinge of sympathy for the new comer, thought of starting up a conversation, then thought better of it. He would wait for her to say something.  
  
And say something she did. "You teach potions, is that right?" she asked, not looking at him, until she had finished speaking.  
  
Severus looked at her gorgeously green eyes, and paused a moment, his breath catching before he could reply. He looked back down at his plate, and made his voice sound strained, and bitter, "Yes, I teach potions."   
  
"Very interesting. You know, I might need some help from you later, that is - if you are willing to give me help," Tessandra said, carefully, still looking at him.  
  
"I doubt," he said, coldly and with out looking at her, "that I could be of any help to you."  
  
"On the contrary," she said, adamantly. "I was never one for potions, I loved the art of it, however I couldn't master it at all. I'm sure I could use your help."   
  
He finally stole a glance at her. She had her head tilted in such a way that it could have been coy - however her facial expression didn't leave any wantoness about her face. Her eyebrows were raised, ever so slightly, her round green eyes innocent. He looked back down at his plate, it had been a mistake to look at her.  
  
"Well," started Severus, "my classroom is located in the dungeons if you still need help."  
  
"Thank you," she said, turning back to her food.  
  
The sudden urge came over Severus to talk to her. Why he hadn't a clue, but it wasn't until he asked her a simple question, that he regreted saying anything at all. He didn't want to start a conversation with her - she was his rival! She had the job that he had wanted for 14 years! But, he didnt' think before he asked her, "Did you say you were in Atlantis?"  
  
"Yes," she said, sweetly. Her eyes glancing from her plate to him as she spoke. "I was researching their ancient protection spells. You see, they have the most powerfull spells at work, and they've been at work for thousands of years. No one knows wear it is because of their protection spells. Well, no one except Professor Dumbledore, of course. He told me where to look for all the right clues. Its really a beautiful city. It's not underwater like everyone thinks! They faked their drowning, so that they could have a utopian society! I found that fascinating. Anyways, Professor Dumbledore asked me to go and find out all I can about the spells for the Order-"  
  
"The Order?" he interrupted. She was in the Order of the Phoenix too!? Of course - she had to take his job, and be involved with the same organization as himself. This was just his luck.   
  
"Yes, the Order of the Phoenix. You're invovled too, Professor Dumbledore said so, anyways." She looked innocently at him.  
  
"Indeed, I am," Severus found himself saying with his jaw clenched.   
  
"I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, Professor Snape, but I really must get into dry clothes and get my office into some order. Nice to meet you," she said, as she held out her hand for him to shake.   
  
"It's been a pleasure," he said, stealing another glance at her beautiful, enchanting eyes. Her eyes sparkled like she was hiding a secret. Innocent was the only word that Severus could use to discribe her. And though he didn't sound like he meant it, some distant part of him did consider meeting Tessandra a pleasure.  
  
He watched her walk out of the Great Hall. A confused Severus Snape finished his meal, in silence, and walked to his dungeon office pondering what it was that he was feeling towards this new teacher, this Tessandra O'Neil. 


End file.
